Author Topic: Documented by Researchers: Stuff/Consumerism Makes you Unhappy  (Read 5645 times)

Sparrow

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This article brings up some lovely proof of how the consumer-lifestyle is a doorway to unhappiness and stress.

<3 to all
~Sparrow

Jamesqf

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Re: Documented by Researchers: Stuff/Consumerism Makes you Unhappy
« Reply #1 on: July 14, 2012, 12:46:12 AM »
Though I agree in principle, I find some of the reasoning a bit dubious: I mean, why would anyone park cars in a garage?  (Unless you're working on them, of course.)  It's not like they're going to melt if you leave them outside.

As for saving the toys for the grandkids, have you checked out the prices of '50s & '60s vintage toys?

TLV

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Re: Documented by Researchers: Stuff/Consumerism Makes you Unhappy
« Reply #2 on: July 14, 2012, 09:51:18 AM »
why would anyone park cars in a garage?

Generally agreed, but there are a few reasons I can think of. Some insurers charge less for comprehensive insurance if you park your car in a garage. Very cold climates (parts of Canada) might require keeping the car in the garage and plugged in to a block heater or it won't be startable. Direct sunlight can damage the dashboard (though a window shade would be a better solution than a garage). Some housing situations may not have any parking alternatives.

mugwump

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Re: Documented by Researchers: Stuff/Consumerism Makes you Unhappy
« Reply #3 on: July 14, 2012, 11:02:06 AM »
In Colorado we get hailstorms.

bananabread

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Re: Documented by Researchers: Stuff/Consumerism Makes you Unhappy
« Reply #4 on: July 14, 2012, 11:37:14 AM »
why would anyone park cars in a garage?

If you live close to the ocean, salt in the air will rust your car badly after a few years if you park on the street.

MMM

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Re: Documented by Researchers: Stuff/Consumerism Makes you Unhappy
« Reply #5 on: July 14, 2012, 02:28:50 PM »
Re: Why you'd want a garage:

The most hardcore Mustachians may be shocked at this, but I ALWAYS park my car in the garage, and I get just a little anxious any time I have to leave it parked for multiple days outside. If I ever found myself lacking a garage, I'd build one, move to a place that had one, or just go car-free.

The reason is just preservation of the car. In any climate, the sun will tend to dry out and destroy all the rubber parts (door seals, tires), and it will fade and weaken all the plastic (headlights, taillights, everything in the interior). In Colorado, this all happens in fast forward due to the crazy ultraviolet rays from high altitude and very few cloudy days.

 Plus, the repeated thermal expansion/contraction of every part in the car tends to make stuff wear out sooner. CD players get sticky. Condensation messes up electrical connections. Lead-acid batteries wear out faster. This is all functional stuff, since I'm assuming we don't care about what our paint job looks like. But if you DO care, that's an even bigger reason to use a garage.

A car that lives in a garage enjoys a much longer lifespan. Of course, if you've got a really cheap/old car, you might not care as much.. but even my 1999 minivan is new/nice enough that I'm feeling the need to at least rig up a carport roof for it (in its current home under a tree, you should see the collections of leaves, twigs, birdshit and tree sap that pile up on it after a couple of weeks of idle time!).

ducknalddon

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Re: Documented by Researchers: Stuff/Consumerism Makes you Unhappy
« Reply #6 on: July 15, 2012, 12:17:15 PM »
Some insurers charge less for comprehensive insurance if you park your car in a garage.

A lot of insurers in the UK charge more for cars parked in a garage, I'm guessing because people scrape them on the way in and out.

Nords

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Re: Documented by Researchers: Stuff/Consumerism Makes you Unhappy
« Reply #7 on: July 15, 2012, 03:04:19 PM »
A car that lives in a garage enjoys a much longer lifespan. Of course, if you've got a really cheap/old car, you might not care as much.. but even my 1999 minivan is new/nice enough that I'm feeling the need to at least rig up a carport roof for it (in its current home under a tree, you should see the collections of leaves, twigs, birdshit and tree sap that pile up on it after a couple of weeks of idle time!).
Cats on the vehicle, rodents building nests in the ventilation system, bird droppings all over, and petty thieves who find it more expedient to punch out a lock or smash a window...

mm1970

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Re: Documented by Researchers: Stuff/Consumerism Makes you Unhappy
« Reply #8 on: July 15, 2012, 03:42:10 PM »
I would totally park my car in a garage if I had one.  Areas where it gets really hot or cold, people use them a lot.

velocistar237

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Re: Documented by Researchers: Stuff/Consumerism Makes you Unhappy
« Reply #9 on: July 15, 2012, 07:04:00 PM »
rodents building nests in the ventilation system,

I wouldn't have believed this, except that I spent last weekend removing half of my dashboard to access the ventilation fan so I could remove the dog food that some small animal put in there.

If we wanted a garage, it would involve some serious earth-moving. I'm pretty sure it's not worth it.

some lovely proof of how the consumer-lifestyle is a doorway to unhappiness and stress.

Time to clean out the basement again.

Nords

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Re: Documented by Researchers: Stuff/Consumerism Makes you Unhappy
« Reply #10 on: July 15, 2012, 07:25:31 PM »
I wouldn't have believed this, except that I spent last weekend removing half of my dashboard to access the ventilation fan so I could remove the dog food that some small animal put in there.
It's a common thread on PriusChat.com, to the point where some of the posters are experts at stripping the dashboard and tearing apart the air ducts.

Uncephalized

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Re: Documented by Researchers: Stuff/Consumerism Makes you Unhappy
« Reply #11 on: July 18, 2012, 11:24:49 AM »
Some insurers charge less for comprehensive insurance if you park your car in a garage.

A lot of insurers in the UK charge more for cars parked in a garage, I'm guessing because people scrape them on the way in and out.
This makes perfect sense in the UK, where things like garages and bathtubs are the size of postage stamps. Not so much in the US. :)

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!